CEDAR CITY — Police have arrested two burglary suspects in connection with the break-in and firearm theft from the Cedar City C-A-L Ranch store one month ago.
According to a news release issued Friday afternoon, Cedar City Police Department, in collaboration with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), has successfully concluded an intensive investigation into the Nov. 22 incident.
As previously reported, a trio of perpetrators gained access to the store after hours and took guns from display cases, as shown in the store’s surveillance footage.
“Subsequent examination of the crime scene and surveillance footage enabled investigators to identify multiple suspects involved in the burglary,” Friday’s announcement stated.
“During the execution of search warrants at various locations associated with the suspects, investigators recovered a significant amount of stolen merchandise from C-A-L Ranch,” the release stated, adding that firearms were among the items recovered.
The arrests and search warrants were reportedly carried out Friday morning, exactly one month to the day after the C-A-L Ranch incident.
However, as of 2:30 p.m. Friday, the suspects’ booking information had not yet appeared on Iron County Jail’s listings on its website.
Although the first Cedar City Police press release indicated that three people were arrested, an updated news release was sent about 30 minutes later amending the number of arrestees to two.
“The arrested suspects, whose identities will be disclosed upon formal charging, are believed to be connected to similar offenses within the Cedar City area,” the news release states. “The suspects will face a range of charges, including but not limited to burglary, theft, and possession of stolen property. Further details will be provided as the investigation progresses.”
Later Friday, the names of both suspects, along with their respective charges, were posted on Iron County Jail’s website.
Russell Gruber, 29, was booked into jail shortly before 4:30 p.m. He is being held on suspicion of numerous charges, including aggravated burglary, 25 counts of firearm theft, possession of a firearm by a restricted person and possession of burglary tools. According to Utah court records, Gruber has a variety of additional charges from other cases that are pending or for which he either is or was on probation.
Darrell DeVoge, 48, was booked into jail at 7 p.m. According to the booking information, he faces one count of aggravated burglary, five counts of theft (value between $1,500 and $4,999), one count of criminal mischief, one count of possession of burglary tools and one count of possession of a firearm by a restricted person.
In the news release, the Cedar City Police Department also expressed appreciation for the assistance they received during the investigation.
“The ATF’s specialized expertise played a crucial role in the successful resolution of the case,” the statement said. “The Cedar City Police Department wishes to express gratitude to the ATF and local law enforcement agencies for their collaboration and expertise, which significantly contributed to the successful outcome of this investigation. Additionally, we appreciate the vigilance and cooperation of the community, which played a crucial role in providing valuable information that aided law enforcement in swiftly closing this case.”
As of Friday afternoon, there has not yet been any official comment regarding the $5,000 reward that was offered in connection with identifying the suspects in the case.
Authorities said anyone who may have additional information related to the case is encouraged to contact the Cedar City Police Department at 435-586-2956.
Formal charges against either of the suspects have not yet been filed with 5th District Court as of 9 p.m. Friday. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
Updated 8:50 p.m. to include the suspects’ names and charges, as reflected in the jail booking information.
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